Towel cabinet



l. I SIMPSON 2,265,875 TOWEL CABINET Filed Oct. is; 1938 s sheets-sheet1 L suw soN TOWEL CABINET Dec. 9, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Ot. 1a, 1938 In ve/v roR Dec. 9, 1941. l. SIMPSONI 2,265,875

TOWEL CABINET Filed Oct; 18, 1938 N we re 7? 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 PatentedDec. 9, 1941 TOWEL CABINET Isador Simpson, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaApplication October 18, 1938, Serial No. 235,663 In Canada March 29,1938 Claims.

The invention concerns particularly that type of towel cabinet in whichmeans is provided for use for advancing the towel in progressive stageswhereby but a predetermined length of clean towel will be delivered foruse on each operation of the device.

Heretofore in cabinets of this type no satisfactory means has been shownfor varying the amount of towel delivered on each operation, the

adjustment in previous cases having usually been m limited to thecircumference of the feed roller,

thus making it impractical to provide for the wide range which isdesirable to meet different requirements.

The objects of the invention are to provide a towel cabinetincorporating simple and efficient towel releasing and locking mechanismwhereby the towel may be advanced in progressive stages to bring intoexposure clean portions of the towel in predetermined quantities andwhereby the previously exposed portions of the towel are automaticallytaken up; to provide means whereby the amount of clean towel to bebrought into exposure for use may be varied at will; to provide meansfor rendering the releasing and looking mechanism inoperative to permitfree dispensing of the towel under certain conditions; and generally toprovide a simple, attractive and sanitary towel cabinet which may beeasily loaded and which may be produced at small cost.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction,combinations, and arrangements of parts described in the presentspecification and more particularly pointed out in the claims fornovelty following.

In describing the invention reference will be made to the accompanyingdrawings in which? Figure l is a perspective view of my improved towelcabinet with the inner structure removed from the outer shell,-orcasing.

Figure 2 is a vertical section in perspective through the inner rollsupporting structure.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective assembly of the towel advancingmechanism in its locked position.

Figure 4 is an inner side view of the contro bolt broken away centrally.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective assembly of the towel advancingmechanismin its unlocked condition.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through the towel compartments,with the alternate position of the movable towel carrier shown in dottedlines.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed assembly in perspective of the towelcontrol mechanism in one position.

Figure 8 is a view of the structure shown in Figure 7 with the towelcontrol mechanism locked to permit free operation of the towel.

Figure. 9 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 8, with thealternate position of the locking lever shown in dotted lines.

Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the chain andassociated mechanisms for advancing same, a portion of the control boltbeing shown in vertical section.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsv in the variousfigures.

Referring to the drawings A is a frame structure adapted to support thetowelling and the various operating parts, which structure comprises apair of vertical end walls I .and 2 connected together near their topends at the rear of the structure by a cross member 3 and near theirlower ends by a cross member 4.

B is a shell, or casing, adapted to enclose the frame A, said shellbeing somewhat greater in width than the interior frame and havingarranged in the top and bottom walls thereof at points equi-distant fromthe ends, vertically aligned grooves 5 and 6 extending from the front tothe rear of the casing and adapted to slidably receive the top andbottom edges of the respective end walls I and 2 of the said frame A, sothat the latter may be removably held to a position in the transversecentre of the casing and thereby provide a space I at each end of thecasing between each end wall of the casing and the corresponding endwall of the frame A.

The end walls I and 2 of the frame A are preferably of greater depththan the interior of the outer casing B with the surplus at the front ofthe frame and such surplus is turned outwardly at right angles to,provide flanges 8, each of the required width to extend across thespace, or compartment, 1 at the corresponding end of the cabinet and tooverlie the edge of the end wall of the casing.

The front of the casing B, through which the frame A is adapted to beinserted and removed is provided with a suitable door 9 which may belocked in any desired manner to prevent unauthorized access'tothe'interi or of the casing. i C is a substantially U'-shaped deviceextend ing between the end walls I and 2 of the frame A and adapted tonormally assume a semi-inverted position within the cabinet with theclosed portion I! at the rear of the cabinet, the lower arm l2 beingpositioned near the lower end of the frame and being swingingly mountedtherein by means of pivot members I3 extending from opposite endsthereof journaled in bearings in the end walls I and 2, whereby thewhole device may be swung downwardly and forwardly, as shown in dottedlines in Figure 6.

The lower arm I2 is preferably curved slightly in end elevation toprovide a cradle for the web of clean toweling, as shown at 14.

The upper arm H: of the U-shaped device 'C extends forwardly within theframe A at an upward angle and projects beyond the front .of the saidframe at a point slightly above the vertical centre of said frame andconstitutes a movable partition whereby to separate the web of cleantowel from the soiled towel, which latter is adapted to be contained inthe space above said partition. The portion of the arm, or wall, l5which extends from the frame A is provided with extensions Hi fromopposite ends respectively, adapted, when the device is in positionwithin the frame, to bear against the end walls of said frame andthereby limit the inward movement of the device.

[8 is a feed roller positioned sli htly below the pivot point of themember C and being journalled at opposite ends in opposed bearings inthe end walls I and 2 of the frame A, the journal of said roller at oneend extending complete'ly through and beyond the wall 2 and carrying asprocket wheel l9 operating within the space between the end wall 2 ofthe frame A and the corresponding end wall of the outer casing B. Theroller I8 is preferably coated with an abrasive substance or isotherwise prepared, to cause the towel from the clean web, which iscarried by the member 0, to be gripped and the delivering thereofgreatly facilitated.

28 is an idle roller normally positioned slightly above the pivot pointof the clean web carrying member C and in advance thereof and beingjournalled at its ends in the end walls of the frame A.

2| is an idle roller positioned below the feed roller [8 and slightly inadvance thereof.

' The toweling from the web is adapted to be 1 extended forwardly aroundthe front of the roller 29, thence rearwardly and downwardly around therear of the feed roller l8 and then forwardly around the front of theroller 2! and downwardly below the cabinet where it is exposed for use.

The idle roller 20 during operation of the device is preferablypositioned slightly above the pivot point of the arm I2 of the member Cin order that the direction of pull on the web will correspondsubstantially to the arc of the arm l2 in which said web is carried, butit is apparent that in this position of the roller 2 adiacent the mouthof the web carrying memvber C insertion of the web of clean towelingwould be difficult and to overcome this difficulty the said roller isjournalled in the inner ends of horizontal slots 22 which at theirforward ends are offset downwardly, as at. 23, whereby the said rollermay be lowered at will.

The toweling which depends from the roller 2| .is extended sufficientlyfar below the cabinet to leave a reasonable amount exposed :for use andis then turned upwardly and passed through a slot 24' provided in thebottom of the casing 13 and is drawn upwardly behind the member C andwound on a take-up roller 25 which is positioned in the space above saidmember C, which latter constitutes a partition to effectually separatethe soiled portion of the toweling from the clean portion.

The take-up roller 25 is journalled at its opposite ends in verticalslots 26 in the respective end Walls of the frame A and said slots atthe top ends thereof are offset forwardly to provide horizontal portions21.

28 is a driven roller positioned beneath the take up roller 25 andsupporting same with its load whereby on being rotated it will cause therotation of said take-up roller and wind the soiled towelingtherearound, the vertical slots in which the take-up roller is mountedpermitting of the vertical adjustment of said take-up roller as its loadincreases.

The roller 28 is mounted in suitable bearings in the ends of the frame Aand one end thereof -projects into the space between the end 2 of theframe and the end of the casing B and carries a sprocket 29 fixedthereto.

30 is a chain which operates over the sprocket wheels I 9 and 29 toprovide for simultaneous operation of the feed roller l8 and the roller28 which drives the take-up roller 25.

It is apparent that a downward pull exerted on the portion of the toweldepending from the front of the cabinet will cause a quantity of towelto be unwound from the web of clean toweling, and that the engagement ofthe moving towel with the feed roller l8 will rotate said roller and thesprocket I!) carried thereby, which latter will advance the chain 33 androtate the sprocket 29 and its roller 28, which in turn,

through its engagement with the toweling on the roller 25, will rotatethe latter and wind the soiled towel therearound.

It therefore is clear that for every given quantity of towel unwoundfrom the web and brought into exposure for use a like quantity ofexposed towel will be drawn into the cabinet and wound around the roller25.

The chain 30 is provided with one, two, or more, lateral projections, orpins, 3| spaced apart a distance corresponding to the predeterminedamount of towel to be unwound and brought into exposure on eachoperation of the device, as will be explained in detail hereinafter. Anyalteration in the spacing of said pins will accordingly alter the amountof towel delivered for use.

32 is a horizontally positioned bolt operating across the face of thesprocket wheel l9 and having its outer end 33 slidably projectingthrough the flange 8 of the frame A and the door 9 for operation by theuser, said bolt being supported at its inner end by means of a pin 3';from the end wall 2 extending through a slot 35 cut longitudinally ofsaid bolt whereby to admit of the bolt being reciprocated across theface of the sprocket. A spring 36 exerting pressure on the inner end ofthe bolt tends to hold same to its outermost position.

The bolt 32 is offset centrally to extend around the sprocket l9 andsuch offset portion is provided on its inner face with a stop flange .31

adapted in the normal, or outwardly extended,

The bolt 32 is also provided on its inner face with a cam 38 positionedbetween the stop flange 31 and the outer end of the bolt, said camhaving an inwardly and downwardly inclined face 39 extending fromsubstantially the top edge of the bolt to a point slightly below thestop flange and spaced therefrom a distance to permit of the passage ofa pin 3| therebetween, said cam being adapted on inward movement of thebolt to engage the under side of the pin, as shown in Figure 10, andraise sam by means of the inclined face 39 above the level of the stopflange, at the same time rotating the sprockets l9 and 29 andconsequently the feed roller l8 and the take-up roll. Immediately uponrelease of inward pressure on the outer end of the bolt the spring 35forces the bolt to its normal position with the stop flange 31positioned to the rear of the pin last acted on by the cam 38 but in thepath of the next approaching pin.

The stop flange 31 is preferably of substantially wedge-shape with theapex thereof opposed to the cam 38 whereby on the return of the bolt toits normal position the inclined top face 49 of the stop flange willbear against the pin and thus advance the pin clear of the bolt.

It is apparent that when the pin is in the position to which it has beenmoved by the cam the feed roller i8 is free to rotate until the chain39, which is operated thereby, has moved a sufficient distance to bringthe next pin 3| into position against the stop flange 31.

It is now clear that upon the release of the pin a downward pull on theexposed portion of the towel at the front of the cabinet will result ina length of toweling equal to the length of chain between adjacent pinsbeing brought into position for use and that this downward pull on thetowel will cause the rotation of the feed roller 8 and the sprocket l9and thus operate the chain to bring the next pin 3| into positionagainst the stop flange and prevent further withdrawal of the towel.

4| is a spring member secured at one end to the outer face of the endwall 2 and extending parallel with the chain 39 in a direction opposedto that in which th said chain travels, said spring carrying at its freeend a stop member 42 extending laterally therefrom across said chain inthe path of the pins 3|, the endmost face 43 of said stop member beingtapered inwardly whereby no obstruction will be offered by the stopmember to the pins in the movement of the chain in the proper direction,and the inner fac 44 being cut at right angles to the chain andproviding an obstruction for the pins and thus prevent movement of thechain in the wrong direction.

45 is a rod positioned below and extending parallel with the bolt 32,said rod at its outer end being projected through the flange 8 of theframe A and being bent to provide a handle 45, adapted to lie betweenthe flange 8 and the door of the cabinet, whereby the rod may be turned.The rod 45 is bent u wardly at right angles to provide a stop arm 41adapted in one position of the rod to extend into the path of thelateral wall 48 of the bolt 32, and thus preventing the inward movementof the bolt farther than is necessary to permit of the cam 38 advancingthe pin 3| past the stop flange 31. The stop arm 41 preferably has itsend bent outwardly, as at 49.

When the rod 45 is rotated in one direction the stop arm 41 is swungoutwardly and downwardly out of the path of the lateral wall 48 of thebolt whereby said bolt may be forced inwardly to the extent that the pin3| on the chain will operate around the rear of the cam 38 withoutlimitation. The bolt may be locked in this position whereby no limit isplaced on the movement of the chain, by simply returning the stop arm toits upright position which, due to the inward movement of the bolt, willnow be on the opposite side of the wall 48 and will thus act as a stopto prevent outward movement of the bolt so long as free delivery of thetowel is desired.

The stop arm is spring-held to its upright position by means of a spring59 secured at one end to a plate 5| and. having its free end exertingpressure on said stop arm.

The plate, or bracket, 5| preferably has a lateral extension 52,provided with a horizontal guide slot 53 through which the spring 50extends. The lateral extension 52 preferably has a portion thereofturned backwardly to provide a stop flange 54 adapted to limit thedownward movement of the stop arm 41.

55 is a strap extending across the back of the frame A between the endsthereof and cooperating with the closed end of the member C to smoothout the soiled towel in its progress to the take-up roller, the saidstrap preferably being supported by spring arms 56 extending upwardlyfrom the cross member 4.

The device is operated in the following manner:

Assuming that the portion of the towel depending from the cabinet hasalready been used and it is desired to bring a clean portion intoposition for use it is simply necessary to push inwardly on the exposedend 33 of the bolt 32 thereby forcing the stop flange 31 inwardly pastthe pin 3| and at the same time bringing the inclined face 39 of the cam38 into engagement with the under side of said pin, which has the effectduring the continued inward movement of the bolt of advancing the pin toa point beyond the apex of the wedgeshaped stop flange 31. Immediatelyupon the bolt reaching its innermost position the user releases pressurethereon and may then grasp the exposed portion of the towel and draw itdownwardly to bring a length of clean towel into position for use. Thedownward pull on the towel causes the rotation of the feed roller l8 andthis in turn, through the operation of the sprocket wheel I9 carried byvsaid roller, causes the chain to be advanced until it has reached theposition where the next succeeding pin 3| has moved into positionagainst the under face of the stop flange, which latter, due to theaction of the spring 36 has been returned to its normal lockingposition. No further amount of clean towel can be brought into use untilthe bolt has again been forced inwardly by pressure on the outer end 33thereof. As the sprockets I9 and 29 operate simultaneously the roller 28will be rotated coincidently with the feed roller I8 and will thereforecause an amount of soiled towel equal to the amount of clean towelwithdrawn from the cabinet to be rolled around the take-up roller 25.Eventually the whole amount of towel previously positioned in the cradleformed by the member 0 will be wound around the take-up roller, fromwhich it can be removed by simply opening the door 9 and swinging thecombined clean towel web-holder and partition C outwardly anddisengaging the roller from its bearing in the frame. A web of cleantowel can then be placed in the member C which is then swung backwardlyinto position within the cabinet and after the towel has been fed aroundthe feed roller I8 and the adjacent idle rollers and the end; drawnupwardly around the take-up roller the device is again ready for use.

Should it be desired to vary the amount of clean towel to be deliveredfor use on each operation of' the bolt 32 it is simply necessary toalter the spacing of the pins 3! in relation to each other to conform tothe length of towel re quired for delivery. This alteration is effectedby simply substituting pins 3| at the desired points along the chain forthe relatively short pins employed to hingedly connect the sections ofthe chain.

If desired one pin only may be used, in which case the amount of toweldelivered on each operation of the device would equal the full length ofthe chain, which latter may of course be of any length within the limitsof the cabinet.

In the event that free use of the towel is desired the door 9 may beopened to give access to the operating end 46 of the rod 45 whereby saidrod may be rotated to remove the offset stop member 4'! from the path ofthe lateral wall 58 of the bolt 32. The bolt is then moved inwardly sothat the wall 48 will move past the stop member 4'! and the latter isthen allowed to resume its upright position by the aid of the spring 50and thus prevent outward movement of the bolt. In this position of thebolt the chain will be free to operate at the rear of the cam and thepins 3| will be free of interference by the stop flange 31, or the cam.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying out my invention, this is'capable of variationand modification without departing from the spirit of the invention; I,therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but'desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim to be my invention is:

1. In a towel cabinet, a casing, a towel web, a feed roller adapted tobe engaged by the towel in withdrawal from said web, a take-up roller,an endless sprocket chain connecting said feed and take-up rollers, astop pin carried by said chain, a manually operated'bolt extendingacross said chain, and having lateral cams opposed to said stop pin, oneof said cams having a face normally positioned in the path of said pinand theother of said cams adapted, on the movement of said bolt in adirection to move the first mentioned cam out of the path of the pin, toadvance said pin into position for engagement by the other face of thesaid first mentioned cam on return movement of the latter wherebyfurther advancement of the pin and consequently of the said chain iseffected. v

2. In a towel cabinet, a casing, a towel web, a feed roller engaged bythe towel in withdrawal from said web, a take-up roller, an endlesssprocket chain connecting saidfeed and take-up rollers, a stop pincarried by said chain, a manually' operated bolt having spaced camprojections opposed to said stop pin and cooperating therewith toalternately lock release and ad- Vance said chain, one of said camshaving a plane surface normally positioned in the path of said pin, saidcam also having an inclined surface opposed to said plane surface, theother of said cams adapted on the inward movement of said bolt toadvance said pin into the path of the inclined surface of the firstmentioned cam on the outward movement of the bolt whereby to temporarilyfree said pin and allow limited withdrawal of towelling from said web,and means returning the bolt to a position with the first mentioned camin the path of said pin.

3. In a towel cabinet, a casing, a towel web, a feed roller, a take-uproller, an endless sprocket chain connecting said feed and take-uprollers, a stop pin projecting outwardly from said chain, a manuallyoperated bolt slidable across said chain, said bolt having lateral camprojections, one of which projections constitutes a stop normallypositioned in the path of said pin and also has aninclined pin advancingsurface, and the other of which operates on the inward movement of saidbolt to advance said pin into position for further advancement by theinclined surface of the first mentioned cam on the outward movement ofsaid bolt, means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said boltsaid means being manually operated whereby said cams may be held whenmoved out of the path of said pin to permit unrestricted Withdrawal ofthe towel from said web.

4. A towel cabinet according to claim 3 in which said means comprises amember normally positioned in the inward path of said bolt, and manuallycontrolled means for removing said member from the path of said boltwhereby the latter may be moved to permit free movement of the chain.

5. In a towel cabinet, a towel web, a feed roller, a sprocket wheelfixed to said feed roller, a second sprocket wheel spaced from the firstmentioned sprocket wheel, a chain operating over said sprocket wheels, aplurality of pins extending laterally from said chain in spaced relationto each other, a bolt slidably mounted transversely of said chain andadapted for actuation by the user, said bolt being offset intermediateits ends to bridge said cha n and providing a lateral wall, said bolthaving a cam normally positioned in the path of said pins and on theoperation of said bolt moving inwardly out of the path of said pins,said cam having one of its surfaces inclined, a second cam carried bysaid bolt and on the inward movement of said bolt advancing the adjacentpin into the path of the inclined surface of the first mentioned cam, astop arm normally positioned in the inward path of said lateral wall andlimiting the inward movement of said bolt to the distance necessary toallow said cams to function, and manually actuated means for moving saidstop arm out of the inward path of said lateral wall whereby said boltmay be moved inwardly to move said cams out of the path of said pins.

. ISADOR SIMPSON.

